Christmas is around the corner and for many of you this feels more like a deadline than a day you are looking forward to. Are you finding that with each passing day you are not only having to find gifts for the people on your list, but also finding that your list seems to be growing!? I wanted to come up with some simple solutions for you…ones that don’t have you rushing to the mall or have you anxiously waiting on items being shipped on time!
Bell's Bookstore, Palo Alto
GO GREEN
Shop locally when possible. Online purchases are often packaged beyond belief! Try to reduce your carbon footprint by thinking local! This year I decided to buy books for a couple of people on my Christmas gift list. I logged onto Amazon thinking I could quickly click my way to finishing up my shopping…I was wrong. Unless I wanted to give everyone a “Happy January 3rd” present, I was out of luck. So I did what I should have done in the first place. I went to the amazing Bell's Books just a few blocks away from my home, where I not only got perfect gifts and incredible service, but also did not have the hassle and worry of delivery dates and shipping fees. There was also the added bonus of having them wrap everything…for free!
INSTANT GIFTS
ITunes gifts can be a wonderful solution for last minute shoppers. I don’t mean running out to buy an actual gift card. I mean simply typing in the person’s email address and gifting them their favorite album, movie, TV series etc. This is a gift you can shoot out Christmas morning with no worries! You can also gift subscriptions to things such as Hulu Plus, Netflix, or Spotify. With Spotify you can even create personalized playlists to share with your loved one.
HEALTHY CHOICE
For the health conscious or overly stressed people in your life consider giving a package of Yoga lessons as a gift. Most studios offer lower rates on packages of 10 classes. This is yet another present that you can sign up for online and simply email your friend/family member their gift certificate. No advanced planning necessary!
CULTURE
Museum memberships are another great solution to the gift-giving dilemma. It’s sort of a one size fits all type of present! It’s great for individuals as well as families. In fact most museum membership subscriptions give free admission to children below the age of 17, making this an economical choice for a family present!
One of my favorite gift ideas is that of time! Plan out a day of fun to enjoy with your loved one. Think of all the things they enjoy doing most and map out an itinerary. The holidays are a time to enjoy your friends and family. Sweaters are great…but the company of someone you love will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling as well!
I wish you all a very merry Christmas!!
*Warning: Mr. Verma, if you use any of these gift solutions, I will happily take them since they are awesome, but I will expect a second gift from you that YOU come up with on your own!